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His muscles tensed, then relaxed as he hugged me back. “This is… unexpected.”
I placed a finger against his lips. “Shh. Whisper, okay?”
“Any reason for this unexpected show of affection?”
I held him tighter. I wasn’t going to die. None of us were. “I went looking for you,” I whispered.
He pulled me to arm’s length, concern etched onto his features. “Why would you do that?”
I pulled the keys from my pocket and placed them in his palms. The skin around his eyes creased as he moved them up toward mine. “Are these…”
“There’s more. Freya’s outside. She sent me in to get the keys, and well, she’s going to kill me,” I whispered. “I didn’t give them to her.”
He cupped my cheek. “She won’t get anywhere near you. I promise.”
I paused for half a breath. “She told me everything. You should know something. She blames you for her son’s death. He was killed by your beasts. I think they were from the underworld. I guess I wanted you to have some context,” I said. “I know you loved her, and she broke your trust, but I’m not going to hurt you like she did. None of us are.”
“The demon hounds killed her son? I didn’t know she had one.”
“She was raped.” I looked away. “She fell pregnant and gave her baby to another family, but the hounds tore them apart.”
“They didn’t act on my orders.” His eyes darkened. “Had I known, I would have…” He trailed off. “She should have told me. There was no reason to kill Leda, to lock us all away.”
I reached out to squeeze his hand before he could head toward the door. “She didn’t do it for revenge. She wanted to be strong, and well, I believe her, but you’re right, it doesn’t give her a pass for all the terrible things she’s done. She’s going to kill us all, so please, don’t hesitate.”
He squeezed my hand back. “I won’t.”
After a half hour of me pacing nervously in front of the window, Raiden returned.
“Is she dead?” My voice charged with hope.
“She took off when she saw me. I chased her through the east of the forest but lost her scent.”
“What do we do? She’s going to come back. She wants those keys.”
“She won’t come here again. She knows I’m here, with you all.”
I closed my eyes on an inhale. “She tried to lure you away with her last visit. She wanted the coven unprotected.”
“I realized that halfway to Navarin. Look, Elle, about these keys.” He let out a long exhale, his gaze climbing to meet mine. “I’m grateful you did this for me. For my siblings too. What changed your mind?
“A few different things, but mostly, it felt like the right thing to do.”
His lips parted, and something changed in his eyes. It was weird being in a closed space without wanting to hit him for once.
After a few seconds, he shook his head as if to scatter thoughts, then cleared his throat. “I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“Ah, there’s the asshole in you.” I couldn’t help but smile. “I wondered where he went.”
He entwined his fingers with mine. “I think you should come with me.”
My heart raced as my fingers flinched, then knotted with his. “Where?”
“To release my sister and brother.”
“Oh.” I gulped. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
“I want to repay you for this. I’m going to help you get your sister back, but I need mine back first. Once they’re out, and we’ve killed Freya together, I’ll take you to Salvius, and together we’ll find your sister.”
